West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
That’s a screengrab from a Seattle City Light map showing where it’s currently trimming back trees that are close to power lines. We received a call from a concerned reader about major trimming happening along California in South Admiral, so we checked, and learned about the map. As noted in the past, City Light’s pruning work can sometimes appear to be dramatic; this page explains the standards to which they trim to try to reduce tree/line conflicts, which are to blame for many power outages.
If they have to cut a tree that’s on your property, you’re supposed to get advance notice. (And yes, there have been past problems – so contact the utility if you think a crew is going beyond the published standards.)
If you frequently pass by the Pump Station 38 project site in the 1400 block of Alki Avenue SW, you’ve likely noticed the construction isn’t complete yet, even though it was described as near completion months ago. The artwork is installed, as our photo shows, along with the new guardrail, but otherwise, cones and holes remain. Seattle Public Utilities says in an update, “The work has been delayed due to a malfunctioning pump that needed to be returned to the manufacturer for repair. At this time, the project is tentatively scheduled to be completed in September.” That’ll be five months longer than the “up to nine months” estimated when work started in July of last year.
11:51 AM: Sent by Trileigh:
I just tried to refill a bottle, and our water is running brown and cloudy. Maybe with the fresh rain a pipe is leaking somewhere? Above Lowman in the Pelly Place neighborhood.
Nothing on the Seattle Public Utilities water-outage map, so either it’s hydrant testing again or an as-yet-unaddressed problem .. always notify SPU about brown water (which is caused by unusual line activity stirring up “sediment,” mostly rust) at 206-386-1800.
11:57 AM: Just as we published that report, we got a text from someone in the Morgan Junction area saying they’re seeing it too and SPU says it’s hydrant testing.
Texter reports brown water in North Admiral. Anyone else? If you’re seeing it, be sure to report to Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800 – it’s often fire-hydrant testing, but sometimes it can be first indication of a problem.
4:57 PM: Thanks for the tips. A power outage centered near Delridge/Orchard is only affecting 26 customers but at least one store – Sherwin-Williams – is among them, as is the traffic signal at that intersection.
9:40 PM: Not fixed yet, per SCL map.
1:12 AM: Just checked again; power’s back.
Thanks to the texter who reported brown water from their taps in the Morgan Junction area this afternoon. Reminder that lately it’s usually because of fire-hydrant testing, but not always, so it’s important to always report it to Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800.
As covered here last night, more than 4,700 homes and businesses lost power in West Seattle last night for up to three hours. Today, Seattle City Light spokesperson Jenn Strang explains what happened: “Last night, crews determined the cause to be two wires that had become disconnected from their insulators and were laying on the cross arm at SW Brandon & 30th Avenue SW. This could have been the result of any number of factors – wind, weather, bird/animal, or environmental – but at the time last evening, we were not able to determine the exact correlation. Our staff and crews did a great job isolating the problem and restoring power to a large group in just a few hours.” This was the second sizable West Seattle outage this month; the previous one, early July 2nd, was caused by a suspected DUI driver hitting a pole and taking out lines at 47th/Admiral.
1:49 PM: Strang says on followup, “When crews were on site, they found two of three blown fuses, which is likely the cause of the outage.”
7:28 PM: More than 4,700 customers are out. The outage stretches from North Admiral to High Point. Updates to come.
7:40 PM: SCL says officially only that the “cause is under investigation.” We’re checking out a couple possibilities. Meantime, if you hear a lot of sirens, remember that outages tend to trigger smoke and CO alarms and get people stuck in elevators, all of which require SFD responses – several are shown on the real-time 911 log right now. … As a commenter points out, the footprint of this outage is almost identical to the one three weeks ago.
8:08 PM: No word on the cause yet, though multiple readers near Camp Long and points south/east have mentioned “booms” at the time. As for how long it’ll take to fix, our standard reminder, don’t get fixated on the SCL “estimated restoration time,” which is usually just a wild guess – could be much sooner, occasionally later.
8:24 PM: And indeed, some are reporting they’re back on now, after an hour. The map usually lags in updates, so it’ll be at least a few minutes before we know how many are back on.
8:28 PM: 2,645 still out, per map. … Here’s the new City Light map:
9:20 PM: The SCL map now attributes the outage to “equipment failure” (if we aren’t able to get more specifics on that tonight, we will tomorrow).
10:15 PM: And after almost three hours, more just got power back. Looking at the map, it appears this outage is now entirely over. (If you’re still out but not shown on the map, contact SCL at 206-684-3000 to be sure they know.)
12:19 PM: Thanks for the tips – a section of Delridge Way is closed because of a gas-leak response at Delridge/Dakota. Traffic cameras show one end of the closure is at Delridge/Oregon. Updates to come.
12:35 PM: Police have just told dispatch that this is winding down and the road should reopen within half an hour.
12:38 PM: And now SFD has told dispatch “gas line secured.”
12:57 PM: Delridge Way has reopened both ways.
Two days in a row for brown water reports from Seaview. Tuesday morning we heard about it from B; this past hour we heard about it from Suzanne. She called the Seattle Public Utilities 24/7 line – 206-386-1800 – and was told that it’s hydrant testing yet again. If brown water happens at your home/business, call to report it even if you think that’s what’s happening; sometimes it’s first word of another problem, like a line break.
11:28 AM: Thanks to Kay for the tip. SFD is at Highland Park Way/Austin/Holden for a natural-gas leak response; avoid the area.
11:55 AM: Highland Park Way hill is closed because of this. Neighbors remind you to please slow down when detouring through neighborhoods.
12:04 PM: We’ve arrived in the area to try to find out more. Heading eastbound on Holden, it’s closed at 11th. Also, note that Metro Route 131 is rerouted because of the closures.
12:16 PM: SFD tells us a 2″ gas line was punctured by a construction crew. City Light is also in the area because they decided to take down the power as a precaution until the leak can be stopped. Meantime, approaching the area northbound, 9th is blocked at Kenyon.
12:39 PM: SFD has closed out the call and buses have resumed their regular routing, indicating roads have reopened (we’re headed back to check).
12:45 PM: Confirmed – all back open.
4 PM: We asked SDOT if the crew was theirs or a contractor’s, since they’ve been working in the area. Here’s the response from spokesperson Ethan Bergerson:
Workers for KC Equipment punctured a gas line this morning at 10:45 am. KC Equipment is a private construction firm on contract with SDOT to build a new traffic signal at SW Holden St and Highland Park Way SW. KC Equipment immediately reported the incident to Puget Sound Energy.
Puget Sound Energy crews arrived on site and confirmed that they had patched the line and that the area was safe shortly after noon. Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Police Department, and Seattle City Light were all also on-site to assist with ensuring public safety.
He adds that no injuries were reported.
10:04 AM: In our continued chronicling of brown-water reports around West Seattle, a texter reports getting “rusty” water this morning in North Delridge, near the Nucor mill. Nothing on the SPU emergency map, so it might be hydrant testing again, but if it happens to you, please report it to their 24/7 line at 206-386-1800.
ADDED FRIDAY NIGHT: For the record, Seaview had brown water today too – just found a note Cindy sent in the early afternoon, “letting you know we (and our neighbors) have brown water. 6300 block of 46th Ave SW.”
We’re continuing to chronicle brown-water reports around West Seattle. Most often lately, it’s the result of fire-hydrant testing stirring up “sediment” – rust – in the lines, but it can also be first word of a problem such as a line break. Just got the first one of the week, from south Admiral, near Walnut/Hinds. If it happens at your home/business, always report it to Seattle Public Utilities‘ round-the-clock operations center, 206-386-1800.
2:09 AM: Power flickered here in Upper Fauntleroy and that was first indication that others have lost power somewhere – apparently because of a driver hitting a pole on SW Admiral Way at Waite. Updates to come.
2:12 AM: Almost 4,700 customers are out. The driver is also reported to have hit the Aegis Living building.
2:23 AM: Above is a reader photo from the scene. Emergency responders are arriving at the scene. Haven’t yet heard whether the driver or anyone else is hurt. … Other areas report hearing “booms” just after the crash – The Junction and Delridge is who we’ve heard from/about – possibly some sort of chain reaction. … Note that you’re going to hear extra sirens in the early stage of any major outage, because fire alarms are often set off. (Daytime outages also tend to bring responses for people getting stuck in elevators but that’s not an issue right now.)
2:35 AM: Added above, also from our reader at the scene, the vehicle in which the driver hit the pole and building. Firefighters have told dispatch that he’s been evaluated and “does not want to go to the hospital.”
2:44 AM: Another reader photo added above – this one looking west/downhill at where the pole is blocking Admiral. It’ll be blocked for a while. There’s also a significant fuel spill from the crash, dispatch has been told; SDOT has to be summoned for that.
3:01 AM: From yet another reader (thanks to everyone texting photos – 206-293-6302 is our 24/7 hotline), a closer view of how the crash ended. … The driver is under investigation for DUI.
3:10 AM: About two-thirds of the outage zone has been restored – down now to 1,600+ still out:
4:40 AM: A few more customers have been restored, but the total out is still 1,600+.
8:41 AM: Everyone’s back on as of a little over an hour ago.
10:35 AM: Thanks for the texted photo and report that City Light brought in the replacement pole:
12:30 PM: As of about half an hour ago, Admiral Way was still closed and crews were still working at the scene.
2:37 PM: 12+ hours after the crash, the reader who’s been keeping us up to date just sent this new photo as SCL crews work to connect the lines:
4:30 PM: As noted separately, Admiral Way has reopened.
ADDED MONDAY: SPD says a 23-year-old man was arrested for suspicion of DUI but was not booked into jail.
10:14 AM: Thanks to Dina Johnson for the report and photos:
At 6 am today a “clunk” sound alerted us to a snapped utility pole/street light, leaving a live wire across the sidewalk on SW Henderson street between 12th & 13th Aves.
Passersby called it in to the city.
The impact miraculously caused no damage to the property, but the pole remains across the sidewalk, wedged against a retaining wall.
The rotted utility pole had been marked by the city several years ago, but never replaced.
SCL says it’s “accelerated” its pole-replacement program recently, and through April had replaced more than 560 citywide.
11:13 AM: Dina says the wire has been removed; the metal part of the pole is now wrapped in “caution” tape.
Latest report of brown water is from Aaron in Morgan Junction. As always, if this happens to you, call it in to Seattle Public Utilities, 206-386-1800, even if you think someone else in your area has reported it. The discoloration is usually sediment – mostly rust – stirred up in the pipes by unusual activity, from hydrant testing to firefighting to a line break. (No recent reports of the latter two in West Seattle, though sometimes brown water brings the first word of a break.)
First, we received this photo via text:
The caption texted with the photo: “Cloudy with a chance of brown water in North Delridge.” A short time later, Manuel emailed this photo:
He wrote, “It had been a while but getting brown water in North Delridge.” If it’s happening to you, even with the likely explanation (brown water is generally caused by unusual activity – hydrant testing, a line break, etc. – stirring up sediment/rust), please report to Seattle Public Utilities so they can keep tracking – 206-386-1800.
8:11 AM: Thanks for the tip. For the second time in four days, part of the West Seattle Junction area has lost power – this time, 261 customers between 40th and 41st, Alaska to Edmunds. Like last Friday’s outage, this one is blamed on “bird/animal contact.”
11:43 AM: Per SCL’s map, the outage is over.
7:13 PM: Thanks for the tip. Almost 500 customers have lost power in The Junction – the City Light map shows it’s mostly along California between Genesee and Edmunds. No word yet on the cause.
7:39 PM: We are in the area looking around. California businesses south of Alaska appear to have power. 42nd/Alaska signal is out. A City Light truck is by Junction Plaza Park.
7:50 PM: The other businesses – and signals – on California have power too. Jefferson Square appears OK too. But the 42nd/Alaska signal is still dark. (4-way stop!)
8:14 PM: The SCL map now confirms what commenters have said – “bird/animal contact” is blamed for the outage.
8:25 PM: Morgan reports that some businesses are out in the south half of the east side of the block between Oregon and Alaska.
9:40 PM: A few customers have their power back – SCL shows 469 still out.
10:37 AM: The outage has vanished from the map. If you’re still out, though, be sure to call City Light and let them know (206-684-3000).
If you’re a regular WSB reader – and/or you’ve been through this yourself – you know that fire-hydrant testing has led to an increased incidence of brown water. The hydrants are Seattle Public Utilities infrastructure; Seattle Fire tests them. The two departments have joined forces today for this citywide reminder about hydrant testing. What’s not mentioned is something SPU confirmed to us a few weeks back, after a reader tip – that a change in procedure has factored into the rise in reports. Also keep in mind that while much of this is attributed to hydrant testing, that’s not the only reason for brown water; line breaks and other problems can stir up the sediment in the lines too, so if it happens to you, continue reporting to SPU at 206-386-1800.
9:04 AM: Thanks for the tips. On this rainy morning, there’s a power outage that Seattle City Light says is affecting 41 customers, shown on the outage map in an odd patchy footprint along the bridge and on Harbor Island:
Among those affected, we’re told, is the Nucor steel mill. We’re checking with SCL on the cause.
9:49 AM: Down to 15 customers. Meantime, a smaller outage continues in Riverview, six customers, blamed on “bird/animal contact.”
10:13 AM: The larger of the two outages is over, but the one in Riverview continues.
AFTERNOON UPDATE: The Riverview outage ended by 1:30 pm, a texter tells us. SCL blames both on bird mishaps.
2:27 PM: We’ve been tracking what have become relatively frequent reports of brown water, usually attributed by Seattle Public Utilities to hydrant testing (after a recent procedure change) stirring up “sediment” (mostly rust) in the lines. Today, we have a report from Rob on 17th in Puget Ridge: “Just ran the tap and the water color is like iced tea.” If this happens to you, please always report it to SPU at 206-386-1800; we appreciate the reports as well, since there’s no other public compilation of where and when it happened.
3:26 PM: We also have reports from upper South Alki via email and Highland Park via a comment below.
5:41 PM: Thanks for all the tips. Just appeared on the Seattle City Light outage map – almost 3,300 customers have lost power in north West Seattle. If you’re in that area, you’re going to hear sirens as large outages tend to set off fire alarms and leave people stuck in elevators, all of which require SFD responses. Updates to come.
5:45 PM: Aaron notes that SFD is responding to a tree down in wires at Harbor Avenue/California, so it’s a safe bet that’s the problem.
5:57 PM: Power outage reminders – if a signal’s out, it’s an all-ways stop. And City Light’s restoration attempts are nothing more than guesstimates – they often change and seldom resemble the final resolution time; might be earlier, might be later.
6:17 PM: Thanks to Stewart L. for this photo from the trouble spot:
He says SCL is on site. Meantime, the response to this has blocked Harbor/California, and that’s affecting water-taxi shuttle traffic.
6:39 PM: We’re getting reports that the power’s back on, at least for some – the map now shows 1,321 still out.
8:20 PM: Down to 747. SCL spokesperson Jenn Strang tells us, “There was a landslide in the vicinity that resulted in damaged equipment” – so that’s apparently what took out the tree/wires.
8:31 PM: Meantime, as pointed out in comments, there’s also an outage in lower Gatewood – mapped at 55 customers.
10:48 PM: Per the SCL map, everyone’s back on in north West Seattle. The smaller south outage isn’t resolved yet. (The map blames that one on “bird/animal contact.”)
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